Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome's Jewish Kitchen
Leah Koenig’s latest cookbook brings Rome’s Jewish cooking tradition to Delmarva.
Watching home cook Ghily Guetta prepare Shabbat dinner in her sunlit kitchen in the Piazza Bologna neighborhood was like observing a master class in multitasking. But of all the pots and pans bubbling simultaneously on her stovetop, this sunset- hued spread— a classic of the Libyan Jewish table— stood out. Guetta fries slices of pumpkin (you can also use butternut squash) until soft and caramelized, then mashes them with copious amounts of minced garlic, hot paprika, and a generous splash of vinegar. The combination of creamy sweetness, bold spice, and tangy brightness is nothing short of magic. Serve alongside couscous or with challah or toasted bread for dipping.
Recipe and photo from Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome's Jewish Kitchen by Leah Koenig.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4 to 6
- 1 small sugar pumpkin or medium butternut squash (about 2½ pounds), peeled (see Note), halved, seeded, and cut into ¼-inchthick slices
- 5 medium garlic cloves, minced, grated, or pushed through a press
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more if needed
- 2 teaspoons hot paprika, plus more if needed
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar, plus more if needed
- Extra- virgin olive oil for frying
Preparation
Heat approximately ¼ inch of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches, add the pumpkin slices and fry, turning once, until golden brown and tender, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried pumpkin slices to a large plate or bowl while you continue to fry the remainder.
Carefully pour off and discard all but about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the olive oil left in the pan, then return the pan to medium heat. (Alternatively, if all the oil has been used up during frying, add a couple more tablespoons of oil to the pan.) Add the garlic, salt, hot paprika, sugar, and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Return the pumpkin slices to the pan, toss to coat with the spices, and cook, mashing the mixture with a fork until fairly smooth but still textured, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar. Taste and add more salt, paprika, and/or vinegar, if desired.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: To make the pumpkin or squash easier to peel and slice, poke several holes in it with a fork and microwave for 3 to 5 minutes. The skin should peel off more easily after that.
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